function [ref] = initializeReferences(args)

  arguments
      % Sampling Frequency [s]
      args.Ts           (1,1) double {mustBeNumeric, mustBePositive} = 1e-3
      % Maximum simulation time [s]
      args.Tmax         (1,1) double {mustBeNumeric, mustBePositive} = 100
      % Either "constant" / "triangular" / "sinusoidal"
      args.Dy_type      char {mustBeMember(args.Dy_type,{'constant', 'triangular', 'sinusoidal'})} = 'constant'
      % Amplitude of the displacement [m]
      args.Dy_amplitude (1,1) double {mustBeNumeric} = 0
      % Period of the displacement [s]
      args.Dy_period    (1,1) double {mustBeNumeric, mustBePositive} = 1
      % Either "constant" / "triangular" / "sinusoidal"
      args.Ry_type      char {mustBeMember(args.Ry_type,{'constant', 'triangular', 'sinusoidal'})} = 'constant'
      % Amplitude [rad]
      args.Ry_amplitude (1,1) double {mustBeNumeric} = 0
      % Period of the displacement [s]
      args.Ry_period    (1,1) double {mustBeNumeric, mustBePositive} = 1
      % Either "constant" / "rotating"
      args.Rz_type      char {mustBeMember(args.Rz_type,{'constant', 'rotating', 'rotating-not-filtered'})} = 'constant'
      % Initial angle [rad]
      args.Rz_amplitude (1,1) double {mustBeNumeric} = 0
      % Period of the rotating [s]
      args.Rz_period    (1,1) double {mustBeNumeric, mustBePositive} = 1
      % For now, only constant is implemented
      args.Dh_type      char {mustBeMember(args.Dh_type,{'constant'})} = 'constant'
      % Initial position [m,m,m,rad,rad,rad] of the top platform (Pitch-Roll-Yaw Euler angles)
      args.Dh_pos       (6,1) double {mustBeNumeric} = zeros(6, 1), ...
      % For now, only constant is implemented
      args.Rm_type      char {mustBeMember(args.Rm_type,{'constant'})} = 'constant'
      % Initial position of the two masses
      args.Rm_pos       (2,1) double {mustBeNumeric} = [0; pi]
      % For now, only constant is implemented
      args.Dn_type      char {mustBeMember(args.Dn_type,{'constant'})} = 'constant'
      % Initial position [m,m,m,rad,rad,rad] of the top platform
      args.Dn_pos       (6,1) double {mustBeNumeric} = zeros(6,1)
  end

  %% Set Sampling Time
  Ts = args.Ts;
  Tmax = args.Tmax;

  %% Low Pass Filter to filter out the references
  s = zpk('s');
  w0 = 2*pi*10;
  xi = 1;
  H_lpf = 1/(1 + 2*xi/w0*s + s^2/w0^2);

  %% Translation stage - Dy
  t = 0:Ts:Tmax; % Time Vector [s]
  Dy   = zeros(length(t), 1);
  Dyd  = zeros(length(t), 1);
  Dydd = zeros(length(t), 1);
  switch args.Dy_type
    case 'constant'
      Dy(:)   = args.Dy_amplitude;
      Dyd(:)  = 0;
      Dydd(:) = 0;
    case 'triangular'
      % This is done to unsure that we start with no displacement
      Dy_raw = args.Dy_amplitude*sawtooth(2*pi*t/args.Dy_period,1/2);
      i0 = find(t>=args.Dy_period/4,1);
      Dy(1:end-i0+1) = Dy_raw(i0:end);
      Dy(end-i0+2:end) = Dy_raw(end); % we fix the last value

      % The signal is filtered out
      Dy   = lsim(H_lpf,     Dy, t);
      Dyd  = lsim(H_lpf*s,   Dy, t);
      Dydd = lsim(H_lpf*s^2, Dy, t);
    case 'sinusoidal'
      Dy(:) = args.Dy_amplitude*sin(2*pi/args.Dy_period*t);
      Dyd   = args.Dy_amplitude*2*pi/args.Dy_period*cos(2*pi/args.Dy_period*t);
      Dydd  = -args.Dy_amplitude*(2*pi/args.Dy_period)^2*sin(2*pi/args.Dy_period*t);
    otherwise
      warning('Dy_type is not set correctly');
  end

  Dy = struct('time', t, 'signals', struct('values', Dy), 'deriv', Dyd, 'dderiv', Dydd);

  %% Tilt Stage - Ry
  t = 0:Ts:Tmax; % Time Vector [s]
  Ry   = zeros(length(t), 1);
  Ryd  = zeros(length(t), 1);
  Rydd = zeros(length(t), 1);

  switch args.Ry_type
    case 'constant'
      Ry(:) = args.Ry_amplitude;
      Ryd(:)   = 0;
      Rydd(:)  = 0;
    case 'triangular'
      Ry_raw = args.Ry_amplitude*sawtooth(2*pi*t/args.Ry_period,1/2);
      i0 = find(t>=args.Ry_period/4,1);
      Ry(1:end-i0+1) = Ry_raw(i0:end);
      Ry(end-i0+2:end) = Ry_raw(end); % we fix the last value

      % The signal is filtered out
      Ry   = lsim(H_lpf,     Ry, t);
      Ryd  = lsim(H_lpf*s,   Ry, t);
      Rydd = lsim(H_lpf*s^2, Ry, t);
    case 'sinusoidal'
      Ry(:) = args.Ry_amplitude*sin(2*pi/args.Ry_period*t);

      Ryd  = args.Ry_amplitude*2*pi/args.Ry_period*cos(2*pi/args.Ry_period*t);
      Rydd = -args.Ry_amplitude*(2*pi/args.Ry_period)^2*sin(2*pi/args.Ry_period*t);
    otherwise
      warning('Ry_type is not set correctly');
  end

  Ry = struct('time', t, 'signals', struct('values', Ry), 'deriv', Ryd, 'dderiv', Rydd);

  %% Spindle - Rz
  t = 0:Ts:Tmax; % Time Vector [s]
  Rz   = zeros(length(t), 1);
  Rzd  = zeros(length(t), 1);
  Rzdd = zeros(length(t), 1);

  switch args.Rz_type
    case 'constant'
      Rz(:)   = args.Rz_amplitude;
      Rzd(:)  = 0;
      Rzdd(:) = 0;
    case 'rotating-not-filtered'
      Rz(:) = 2*pi/args.Rz_period*t;

      % The signal is filtered out
      Rz(:)   = 2*pi/args.Rz_period*t;
      Rzd(:)  = 2*pi/args.Rz_period;
      Rzdd(:) = 0;

      % We add the angle offset
      Rz = Rz + args.Rz_amplitude;

    case 'rotating'
      Rz(:) = 2*pi/args.Rz_period*t;

      % The signal is filtered out
      Rz   = lsim(H_lpf,     Rz, t);
      Rzd  = lsim(H_lpf*s,   Rz, t);
      Rzdd = lsim(H_lpf*s^2, Rz, t);

      % We add the angle offset
      Rz = Rz + args.Rz_amplitude;
    otherwise
      warning('Rz_type is not set correctly');
  end

  Rz = struct('time', t, 'signals', struct('values', Rz), 'deriv', Rzd, 'dderiv', Rzdd);

  %% Micro-Hexapod
  t = [0, Ts];
  Dh = zeros(length(t), 6);
  Dhl = zeros(length(t), 6);

  switch args.Dh_type
    case 'constant'
      Dh = [args.Dh_pos, args.Dh_pos];

      load('nass_stages.mat', 'micro_hexapod');

      AP = [args.Dh_pos(1) ; args.Dh_pos(2) ; args.Dh_pos(3)];

      tx = args.Dh_pos(4);
      ty = args.Dh_pos(5);
      tz = args.Dh_pos(6);

      ARB = [cos(tz) -sin(tz) 0;
             sin(tz)  cos(tz) 0;
             0        0       1]*...
            [ cos(ty) 0 sin(ty);
              0       1 0;
             -sin(ty) 0 cos(ty)]*...
            [1 0        0;
             0 cos(tx) -sin(tx);
             0 sin(tx)  cos(tx)];

      [~, Dhl] = inverseKinematics(micro_hexapod, 'AP', AP, 'ARB', ARB);
      Dhl = [Dhl, Dhl];
    otherwise
      warning('Dh_type is not set correctly');
  end

  Dh = struct('time', t, 'signals', struct('values', Dh));
  Dhl = struct('time', t, 'signals', struct('values', Dhl));

if exist('./mat', 'dir')
    if exist('./mat/nass_references.mat', 'file')
        save('mat/nass_references.mat', 'Dy', 'Ry', 'Rz', 'Dh', 'Dhl', 'args', 'Ts', '-append');
    else
        save('mat/nass_references.mat', 'Dy', 'Ry', 'Rz', 'Dh', 'Dhl', 'args', 'Ts');
    end
elseif exist('./matlab', 'dir')
    if exist('./matlab/mat/nass_references.mat', 'file')
        save('matlab/mat/nass_references.mat', 'Dy', 'Ry', 'Rz', 'Dh', 'Dhl', 'args', 'Ts', '-append');
    else
        save('matlab/mat/nass_references.mat', 'Dy', 'Ry', 'Rz', 'Dh', 'Dhl', 'args', 'Ts');
    end
end